The Promise
by Mako-clb
Summary: What happens when Raye makes a promise that Darien doesn't want to let her keep? Rated PG for mild language and violence. Action and drama


Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, the Sailor Senshi and everybody else in this story all belong to Naoko Takeuchi. The story however is all mine. I make no profit from this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Notes: I'm using the NA names for this story. Yes, I like the dub. I like the original better, but without the dub, I would never have heard of Sailor Moon. I figure I owe DIC a small thanks for that. Even though this takes place in the dub universe, I'm using Sailor Senshi, not Sailor Scouts. I just like the way it sounds.

Also, a big thanks to LauralAnne and Lianne for beta-reading my story. Lianne, you may notice I've made a few changes at the end. I hope you approve. :-)

  
  


This story happens sometime after the end of Sailor Moon R.

  
  
  
  


**The Promise**

By Corina "Mako" Borsuk

  
  


"NOOOO!"

Raye's scream cut through the shocked silence, breaking through the wall of pain and sorrow that had surrounded them all since that moment. Time had seemed to stand still, no one moving, no one speaking. They barely even dared to breathe. What happened had hit them all with disbelief, sorrow, pain, and love. Then, Tuxedo Mask, standing in front of the others, his shoulders bent and trembling slightly, took a slow step forward. Then another and another. The motion took him closer to the edge of the roof, closer to the darkness.

At first, no one noticed. Each girl was so wrapped up in her own feelings that they were barely aware of Darien's slow, painful march. But through the blur that her tears created in her vision, Raye began to sense movement. Slowly he walked, his cape fluttering ever so slightly in the cool breeze that was blowing across the city. It took her a few precious moments to push back the pain and the memory, to think about what was happening in the here and now. Then she understood. Darien intended to join Serena, to follow her to death.

At the sound of Raye's scream, three tear stained faces looked up to see the raven-haired Senshi running forward. Raye raced ahead, just past Darien, and spun around so she was standing a few steps in front of him. She thought that would be enough. She thought that if she just stood there, Darien would stop. She was wrong. Before she could react, Darien's arm swung up and then down, shoving Raye to the ground. The other Senshi, who had been watching in silence up to this point, let out small gasps. They moved towards Raye, but she waved them off.

"You've got to stop him! He's going to join Serena!" Even as she shouted this, Raye jumped to her feet and took off after Darien.

**********

Beep, beep, beep . . .

"Serena, that's your communicator, isn't it? Maybe you should answer."

Sighing in agreement, Serena turned around and activated her communicator. Amy's voice came through. "Serena, are you alone?" inquired the voice.

"Well, I was alone with Darien until you called," Serena hissed into her communicator, putting as much venom in her voice as she could, which was a lot considering Amy had interrupted her just as Darien was about to kiss her.

"We've got Sailor business," Amy said without a hint of remorse in her voice. "This is big, so hurry to my house. Oh, and bring Darien with you."

"So, what's wrong?" Darien asked, as Serena turned back around with a scowl on her face.

"I don't know, but it better be real important or else," she threatened, as the two headed out of the park and over to Amy's house.

**********

Jupiter was the first to react to Raye's plea. She jumped over the fallen girl, grabbing Darien's arm as she came down next to him. Using her not inconsiderable strength, she held her ground, forcing Tuxedo Mask to stop his suicidal progress towards the black hole that had swallowed Sailor Moon. By this time, Raye had reached Lita's side and she watched as Darien turned toward them both. Somehow, the mask Darien usually wore as part of his Tuxedo Mask guise had fallen off, clearly revealing his face. What Raye saw there chilled her to the core.

His face was pale, completely drained of color, and his eyes were dead. He was staring right at them, but she had the feeling he was looking straight through her. In horror, Lita relaxed her grip on Darien's arm. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he broke her hold and started moving toward the vortex again. This time he was running.

**********

"Amy was running a standard scan of the city, using a new computer program she and I designed to detect negaverse or alien life-forms." Luna's small form paced back and forth in front of the Senshi as she spoke. "She detected a strange energy reading. It doesn't appear to be connected to the negaverse, but the readings indicate it is a threat to the entire city."

The Senshi gasped and Serena squeezed Darien's hand a little tighter. When it seemed everyone was listening again, Luna continued, "We haven't been able to determine anything specific, other than that the phenomenon is growing larger. We need to check it out in person."

"I guess it's time for another Senshi sleep-over," Mina shouted. "The question is, how will Grandpa react to a co-ed sleep-over?" All eyes turned to Darien. He quickly let go of Serena's hand and slid a little further away on the couch. Even though he tried, he couldn't stop a red flush from rising to his cheeks. This caused a fit of giggles to break out all over the room, except Serena, who looked just a little embarrassed herself.

A few minutes later, after some quick phone calls, and some pleading on Serena's part, the Senshi sleep-over was officially on. The only change in plans had been to stay at Amy's place instead of the Temple. Grandpa was going to be teaching Chad some super-secret temple duty. Raye knew this meant Chad would be doing a lot of cleaning and not much else, but she figured there wasn't any reason to tell Chad that.

**********

As Darien raced toward the vortex, Venus and Mercury joined the fray. Neither Senshi wanted to hurt Tuxedo Mask, but they couldn't let him continue his suicide attempt. Reacting instinctively, Mercury released her bubbles. This only slowed Darien down for a moment, but it was enough for Venus to release her love-chain. The chain circled around Darien, pinning his arms to his side and forcing him to stop. Darien didn't give up though. He struggled against Venus. Mercury joined in, grabbing onto Venus' chain and helping her pull. Mars and Jupiter grabbed a hold of him, forcing him back.

"Darien, we can't let you do this. It isn't right," Raye pleaded. Tuxedo Mask didn't even respond. At least not with words. He lashed out at Mars, kneeing her in the gut. She folded, moaning. While Raye served as a distraction, Darien threw his weight on Jupiter. Not expecting the move, Lita was thrown off balance. At the same time, the chain holding him was jostled from Venus' grasp. As soon as she let go, the golden chain disappeared, freeing Darien.

Before he could take more than two steps, Jupiter crouched down, swinging her leg parallel to the ground, right into the back of Darien's shin. He came crashing down on his back, landing hard on the concrete roof. "We don't want to hurt you Darien. But if you don't stop this, we'll have to," Lita said, as she pinned him to the ground. By this time, Venus had joined her, while Mercury checked on Mars. Raye just waved her off, indicating Darien hadn't hurt her badly.

Still in pain, Mars, along with Mercury, joined Venus. The three were standing in front of Tuxedo Mask, who was still struggling to escape from Jupiter. Raye tried reasoning with him again. "Darien, please stop this. Serena wouldn't have wanted this." The mention of Serena's name just made him more desperate. He increased his struggles and it looked like Jupiter was having trouble holding him down. Just as Venus was about to help, the Senshi heard a sharp crack as Tuxedo Mask's cane connected with Lita's jaw. The force of the blow knocked her back. She didn't get up. Darien wasted no time in jumping to his feet and continuing his "mission."

**********

As soon as it was dark, five girls, two cats, and a young man walked out the door of Amy Mizuno's home. As quickly and quietly as they could, the group ducked down an alley. If there had been any passerby, they would have seen bright lights emanating from the alley, but there was no one close enough to hear five voices shout:

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Moon Crystal Power!"

By the time the spectacle was over, Darien had already become Tuxedo Mask. In fact, he had transformed first, so he had time to watch Serena transform to Sailor Moon. He loved to watch her transformation. It wasn't because her body was naked; although it was naked, and she definitely had a beautiful body. The real reason was the look of bliss she always had as she transformed. Even though he knew she didn't always like being Sailor Moon, he could tell by her body language that she got a rush every time she transformed. There was something about that moment, less than an instant really, when he could see the happiness and confidence in her face. He wished beyond anything that she could feel that much joy her entire life. But he knew that instant of joy was always followed by many more of danger and fear. That was simply the nature of things. She transformed into Sailor Moon to fight, and no amount of joy during her transformation could change that.

"All right, let's go," Luna said, breaking into his thoughts. Exiting the alley, the five Senshi and their companions headed off. Mercury was in the lead, since they needed her computer to guide them to the source of the strange energy. It didn't take long to find what they were looking for. After only a few minutes, Mercury came to a stop. Luna and Artemis were thankful. The two cats were panting and heaving. No one had bothered to pick them up before taking off. It had taken everything they had to keep up with the Senshi. Artemis reminded himself to have a little chat with Mina about neglecting her guardian, when they got home.

"So, why'd you stop Mercury," Mars asked impatiently.

"Because what we're looking for is right above us." Amy pointed directly overhead. As the others looked up, they saw a large, black disk above them. The object, whatever it was, was so black that it seemed to swallow up all of the light around it. Starlight, street light, even the light of the full moon which hung overhead, seemed to be absorbed by this thing. That's because it was.

**********

"Lita!" Mercury and Venus both screamed their friend's name, as they raced to her side. But Raye had other things to deal with. She had to stop Darien and fast, before it was too late.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" The blast of flame seared from her fingertips, creating a wall of flame in front of Tuxedo Mask. He instinctively jumped back to keep from being burned. It didn't stop him for long though. He simply leapt over the flames, landing gracefully on the other side.

Dammit! I have to stop him, Raye thought. I can't fail Serena. Raye brought her fingers together for another attack. She had to concentrate. She wanted to stop Darien, but without hurting him. "Mars Firebird Strike!" Flame once again shot from her fingertips, but this time it burst into the form of a blazing bird. Mentally directing the creation, Raye made it fly up and over Darien. Then it made a sharp turn and flew right towards him. It stopped only inches from him, its fiery wings beating, fanning the heat towards Darien. He took a step back, then another. Raye kept the bird of flame just close enough to him for the heat to force him back. She was careful not to burn him.

Tuxedo Mask cared very little about caution at this point. His one continuing thought was that he had to reach Serena. No matter what, he had to be with her. He realized he couldn't do much until he dispatched Mars' bird. Summoning a batch of roses, he threw them at the flaming bird. As rose met flame, there was a brilliant flash just a heartbeat before the blast of the explosion knocked Darien back several feet.

**********

"So, what the heck is that thing Mercury?"

"I'm not really sure. It seems to be similar to a black hole, but not as strong. I'm going to need some closer proximity readings to be sure."

"But isn't that dangerous. I mean, couldn't it just suck you in?" Venus asked worriedly.

"As I said, it's not as strong as a black hole. Besides, at the moment it appears to only be absorbing light and energy, not actual matter. Again, I can't be sure until I get a closer look."

"I guess we don't have much of a choice, do we?" Sailor Moon asked in a quavering voice.

"Don't worry Sailor Moon. I'll protect you," promised Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon just looked into his eyes lovingly. The tears that had started to form were already drying up.

"Okay, let's go. Luna, Artemis, you two stay here. It'll be safer that way," Mina directed. Before either feline could protest, the six humans were running up the fire escape that lead to the roof of the building.

**********

Venus and Mercury had been tending to Jupiter during the exchange between Mars and Tuxedo Mask. Lita was just starting to come around when the force of the explosion hit. The blast knocked everyone to the ground. Mercury looked around to assess the situation. She and Venus were fine. Jupiter at least didn't look any worse than she had before. Mars was staggering to her feet, slowly. Mercury turned her gaze toward Tuxedo Mask. What she saw made her blood run cold. His tuxedo and cape were burned in several places. The glove of his right hand was completely burned off and he didn't appear to be moving.

Quickly, Mercury ran to him. Using her computer, she scanned Darien, praying he wouldn't be seriously hurt. She sighed with relief when her computer beeped an affirmative. His right hand and arm hand some nasty burns and he'd had the wind knocked out of him, but otherwise Tuxedo Mask seemed relatively unharmed. Before she could reach him, he struggled to his feet. His mind focused only on his goal of reaching Serena, he barely noticed the searing pain in his arm. Nor did he notice the figure of Sailor Mars standing before him.

"I won't let you do this Darien. I don't want to hurt you. You know I would never hurt you. But I can't let you do this. I will stop you." He didn't respond, didn't even look at her. His vacant eyes just continued to stare ahead at the nothingness that had engulfed his dear Serena. At that moment, Raye realized he was beyond reasoning, beyond words. There was only one way to stop him. May Serena forgive her, but it was the only way.

Mars leapt the short distance towards Tuxedo Mask, throwing her entire weight into him and knocking him back to the ground. He landed hard on his burned arm. This time, he couldn't ignore the pain as it shot straight up his arm. At his cry of pain, Raye jumped off him and moved to stand just in front of him. She was joined by Mercury on her right and Jupiter and Venus to her left. "Please don't do this," Venus begged, but it was no use. Tuxedo Mask slowly stood up, staring at them with his haunted eyes. A rose appeared in his left hand, his right hanging limply at his side. The Senshi knew he meant business, but so did they.

**********

After scanning for a few minutes, Mercury turned to the others, who were assembled on the roof behind her. She had a serious expression on her face. An expression that let the Senshi know this was trouble. "My scans confirm that the vortex is absorbing light and energy from the area. I'm not sure about its origins, but I can tell you it's growing. The more light and energy it absorbs, the larger it becomes. The bigger it gets, the more energy it needs. If left unchecked, it will absorb all the light and energy on the entire planet."

"Then lets destroy it now," Jupiter suggested. Suddenly, the antenna in her tiara rose and lightning began to crackle around her.

"Jupiter don't!" shouted Mercury, buy her cry couldn't be heard over the sound of Lita completing her attack. The small, concentrated ball of electrical energy sped towards the vortex and simply disappeared.

"What the . . .?"

"Lita, I tried to tell you. The vortex absorbs light and energy. All your attack did was make it stronger. We have to . . ." Mercury was interrupted by the beeping of her computer. It had continued scanning the vortex during Jupiter's attack, and now Mercury was analyzing the strange data.

"What is it Amy? Have you found something?" Sailor Moon asked anxiously.

"I think I may have found something, but I can't be sure. I need more data. Raye, would you attack the vortex?"

"Huh? What good will that do? I thought you said our attacks just make it stronger."

"Just trust me Raye, please."

Mars nodded and began her attack. From her finger tips, she created a ring of fire around her body. Then she focused the energy between her hands before shouting, "Mars Celestial Fire Surround!" Small rings of fire burst from her hands to the vortex, only to be swallowed by the black disk. "Well, that was a lot of help," Raye said sarcastically.

"Actually, it was. You just confirmed the readings I got when Jupiter attacked the vortex. When the high concentrations of energy are absorbed, there is a slight fluctuation in the stability of the vortex. I believe that a strong enough burst of energy will disrupt the vortex and destroy it."

Venus stepped forward, flashing her Sailor V victory sign. "You heard Amy, let's get to it."

"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!"

"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!"

"Jupiter Thunderclap Zap!"

"Venus Love-Chain Encircle!"

"Moon Scepter Elimination!"

**********

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"

Mercury was the first to strike, using her bubbles as cover for the others. Venus and Mars slipped away to either side of Tuxedo Mask, hoping that the mist would hide their movements. Jupiter stood her ground, preparing an attack of her own. She knew she had to be careful. The Senshi needed to stop Tuxedo Mask, but without hurting him.

"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" The lightning hit the roof a few feet in front of Tuxedo Mask, not close enough to harm him, but close enough to distract him. That's when Venus and Mars struck. Venus called forth her love-chain, while Mars raced forward to block his escape. The two girls were fast. Tuxedo Mask was faster. Venus never even saw the rose flying towards her until it cut deeply into the flesh of her arm. She cried out in pain, the heart-linked, gold chain dissolving into thin air. Blood poured from between her fingers as she clutched at the wound.

Tuxedo Mask used the opportunity to race past the blond, right towards the vortex. He was only feet from the edge of the roof now and Mars and Jupiter were too far away to stop him. They raced toward him, but there was really nothing they could do but watch. Not so for Sailor Mercury. She was close enough to position herself in front of Darien. He never even hesitated as he backhanded her hard, nearly knocking her off the ledge of the roof. Mercury was down, but the action had cost him time, time Venus used to summon another love-chain.

**********

For just a moment, the Senshi's attacks flashed brilliantly in the night sky, then died as the light and energy were absorbed by the black disk in front of them. Mercury flipped her computer open again, analyzing the readings. "It appears that even a combination of our most powerful attacks is not enough to destabilize the vortex. We need something more powerful."

"What if I use my roses?"

"I don't think so Tuxedo Mask. Your roses aren't energy based. Simply feeding it matter won't work. It has to be a high concentration of energy." Mercury lapsed into serious thought as she continued to run scenarios on her mini-computer. The others just stood around awkwardly, until Jupiter started to get a wicked look in her eyes.

"You said we need a lot of energy, right Mercury?" The blue-haired Senshi nodded in response to Jupiter's question. "Something, like, oh, a Sailor Planet Attack?"

"Actually, that just might work," Amy said, a small smile gracing her face. Without missing a beat, the five Senshi formed a circle, linking hands. Tuxedo Mask could detect a faint glow coming from each Senshi, which intensified as they called upon their powers.

"Jupiter Star Power!" And a green glow encompassed the group.

"Mercury Star Power!" And a blue tinge was added to the display.

"Mars Star Power!" And suddenly, a brilliant red was added to the mix.

"Venus Star Power!" And then a golden hue intermingled with the rest.

"Moon Crystal Power!" And then there was a magnificent pink that made the other colors seem more brilliant, more powerful than they had before.

As the build-up of power reached a crescendo, five voices called out in unison, "Planet Power Attack!" Despite the intensity of the attack, despite the sheer power behind it, the end results were the same. It took the vortex a little longer to absorb the power, but in the end, it did just that.

"Dammit," Jupiter shouted. "Just what the hell is it going to take to get rid of that thing?"

Mercury, always the voice of reason, put her hand on the girl's shoulder and said, "Calm down Lita. Cursing won't help anything. Besides, I think I have some good news. My readings indicate that it almost worked. The vortex was temporarily destabilized. We just need a little more power to make it permanent."

"More power? Mercury, you've got to be kidding. We put everything we had into that. I don't think we can manage another planet attack, let alone a stronger one," Venus railed in defeat.

"There has to be a way. We can't just give up. Maybe I can help. I know my roses aren't energy based attacks, but I use energy to transform into Tuxedo Mask. If we can find a way to tap that power, maybe I could lend you girls a hand."

"Good idea. Let me get some scans of you and we'll see if I can come up with anything," Amy said as she motioned Tuxedo Mask toward her.

On the other side of the roof, Sailor Moon wasn't paying much attention to this new possibility. Instead she was thinking about the possibility that, if the Senshi didn't stop this thing, everyone she knew and loved would die. Lost in thought, she absentmindedly fingered her broach. "Just a little more power," she whispered softly. "Just a little more power."

"What are you mumbling Meatball Head?"

"What? Oh, Raye, I didn't notice you there."

"Yeah well, you don't notice much. You weren't even paying attention to Amy, were you?"

"No, I guess I wasn't," Serena admitted. Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Raye, promise me something."

"Huh? What? We have more important things to worry about than whatever it is you want."

"Raye, please just promise me. Promise me you'll take care of him. I promised him once he'd never be alone again, and I don't want to break that promise. So I need you to promise me you'll be there for him. Please," Serena pleaded. "You're the only one I trust to do this."

"What are you talking about? Can't you keep your mind on Senshi business for just one minute, huh? Get with the program already!" Raye's voice was beginning to rise, but she was cut-off mid tirade by the look in Serena's eyes.

"Just promise me, Raye."

"I promise," she answered hesitantly.

Serena smiled sadly at her friend -- her best friend. For just a moment, she considered saying something more. But no, she had to do this before she lost her nerve. Tensing her body, Sailor Moon shot off, running at top speed. Never had she moved so fast in her whole life. The others, gathered around Mercury, didn't notice. Raye just didn't understand, at least not until it was too late to stop her.

"Serena, NO!"

As one, the three Senshi and Tuxedo Mask whipped around just in time to see Serena approach the edge of the roof. They heard her shout, "Cosmic Moon Power!" And then they watched, horrified as Sailor Moon gracefully leapt into the vortex. The black disk consumed her form and the only thing visible in its depths was the silvery white light of Serena's crystal. Then, the light flashed powerfully once and was gone.

If Amy had been looking at her computer, she would have seen that the vortex was destabilizing. If any of them had been truly watching the vortex, they would have noticed it shrinking slowly. But they weren't doing any of these things. Instead they were all staring vacantly at the vortex, but not really seeing it, or anything. All they could think of was that they had just lost one of the most important people in their lives. All they could think was that Serena had sacrificed herself for them.

**********

Venus' chain encircled Tuxedo Mask. He struggled, but this time the others weren't going to give him an opportunity to get free. Mars and Jupiter grabbed the chain and together the three girls pulled as hard as they could, yanking Tuxedo Mask back a few feet and to the ground. Jupiter and Venus were on him before he could move. Still held by Venus' chain and with Jupiter pinning him down, he seemed trapped. Just to be on the safe side, Venus sat on his legs, while Mars held down his arms. Mercury walked up a short time later.

As she held down his arms, Mars angled herself so she could look Darien in the eyes. She'd had enough. She had to stop him, right now, because if she didn't, she knew he would just keep trying and eventually he would succeed. And she couldn't let him do that. She would be betraying herself, betraying Darien's friendship, but most importantly, she would be betraying Serena's faith in her. Serena had entrusted Raye with the thing she cared about most -- Darien -- and Raye wouldn't let her friend down. "Dammit Darien! What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you think this is what Serena would want? Do you think she sacrificed herself just so you could throw your life away?"

He didn't answer. He just didn't care. For Darien, the world revolved around only one thing, Serena. She was his life, his world and without her he was alone again. He had no reason to go on living because he had nothing left to live for. If he made it to the vortex, maybe he could be with her, at least in spirit. So Darien didn't care if he was throwing his life away.

But Raye wasn't done. She had one card left to play, she only prayed it would work. "What would Serena say if she saw this? What would she think if she saw you? Do you think she could still love you after what you've done to her friends?" Darien blinked. "Look at us Darien. Look at what you've done."

Raye forced his head up slightly so he could see Lita's face. He struggled in her grip, but she held firm. He had to see, and see he did. He saw the nasty gash on her chin. He saw the way her lip was split and swollen. "Serena loves her friends Darien. It hurts her to see us in pain. You of all people should know that," Raye said forcefully. "Do you enjoy causing Serena pain?"

Darien blinked, but still his eyes held that glazed look, and his struggles continued. Then Raye forced his head to the side and he saw Amy, a large black and purple bruise covering the left side of her face. "Serena has always been a loving soul. If it was up to her, I don't think she'd hurt a fly. But she can fight, and she has, to protect her friends. You betray her memory with your actions Darien. Is that what you want, to betray her?"

The glazed look left Darien's eyes, and for the first time, he truly seemed to see what was in front of him. Now he only strained slightly against his captors. Then Raye jerked his head again, and he felt Lita shift as he was forced to look at Mina. Her right arm was covered in blood, her blood; blood from the wound he had delivered. "She sacrificed herself to save us, all of us. She did it so we could live," Raye said through a voice now chocked with tears. "Would you have her sacrifice be in vain?"

Tears sprang to Darien's eyes. His lips tried to form words, but nothing escaped. Raye jerked his head back down. Then she grabbed his left hand and forcibly pushed it against her abdomen. He felt her flinch and heard her groan of pain. "We're your friends Darien. We won't let you give-up on life this easily. If it had been you who died, would you have wanted Serena to join you in death?"

Then something in Darien snapped. His body went slack. Every once of strength he had left fled him. The tears came unbidden to his eyes as he lay on the ground defeated. Raye's words had hit him hard. His actions tonight had betrayed everything Serena stood for, everything she lived, fought and died for. "Oh God. What have I done? I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry," he choked out.

Raye waved for the Senshi to release Darien and she gently helped him to a sitting position. He buried his face in his hands and began to cry. "Why didn't you just let me go to her Raye? Why? It would have been so much easier if you had just let me go."

"I couldn't. Before Serena . . . before she . . . She made me promise that I would watch out for you Darien. She made me promise that I would never let you be alone. She knew this would hurt you, but she didn't want you to suffer like this. She wanted you to be alive and happy. I couldn't let you go because that would have meant letting her down. She gave her life for all of us. The least I could do was keep my promise."

"But how can I be happy without her?"

"I don't know Darien, but you have to try. It's what she wanted," Raye whispered to him, comforting him as if he were a child.

Suddenly, Darien groaned, doubling over in pain. The Senshi gathered around him. Mercury deployed her visor, but could find nothing wrong. Just as suddenly as the attack began, it subsided. Darien's tense form relaxed, and his labored breathing slowed.

"Tuxedo Mask, are you alright? Do you need a doctor?" Venus asked frantically.

"I'm fine," he said, beginning to stand. "That wasn't my pain," he added, a huge smile spreading across his face. Jupiter turned to Venus, giving her a look that clearly said she thought Darien had lost it. Then Darien continued, more seriously, "It was Serena. She's still alive. Somehow she's still alive."

"Darien," Mina said softly, sadly as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know how hard this is for you, but Serena's gone. You, we all, have to accept that." The tears began to flow from Mina's eyes as she continued, "She's gone."

Darien shook his head vehemently. "No! No, she's not. She's still alive. I can feel it. If I hadn't been so blind before, I would have felt it. She's still inside me," he said, placing his fist over his heart. Just as suddenly as before, another spasm of pain hit him. Feeling as if he was being crushed, Darien fell to the ground again.

Suddenly, there was a tiny flash of light from the vortex. The Senshi all looked up, gaping at what they saw. What had been a dark nothingness easily the size of a house, was now only the size of a small car. "She did it," Mina said softly. "She saved us all."

The vortex flashed with light again, this time a little brighter. Mercury deployed her visor and began taking readings. Her expression changed from concern, to disbelief and then to shock. "That's the energy signature of the Silver Crystal," she said in awe. "It wasn't consumed by the vortex."

"Neither was Serena," Darien shouted in panic. "We have to save her!" With that, he took off for the vortex again. Jupiter had no intention of letting him commit what she thought was suicide. So, quick as lightning, she tackled him to the ground.

"You can't do this. Don't you understand yet? This isn't the way."

"No, you don't understand. Serena's alive and she's inside that thing," he tried to explain as he gestured to the vortex. "I have to get her out!"

"You're not making any sense. How could Serena have survived that thing? It must have absorbed her when she jumped in," Mars said sadly, as she tried to calm Darien.

"Not necessarily," Mercury said, a look of hope crossing her previously sorrow-filled features. "The vortex wasn't absorbing matter, just energy. If left unchecked, it would eventually have drained the city, possibly the planet dry, killing everyone. But Serena's body, like the crystal, may still be intact."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. She's alive in there. I have to save her. Don't try to stop me!" Shaking off Jupiter, Tuxedo Mask began to walk towards the vortex, but before he could act on his words, another wave of pain hit him. Jupiter caught him just before he hit the ground. When the pain passed, Darien shakily got to his feet.

"What's wrong? Darien, tell us what's going on," Mars demanded, slightly panicked.

"It's Serena. I'm feeling her pain. If it's this bad for me . ." he whispered in fear. "It must be terrible for her. You have to help me," he pleaded. "She's slipping away. That's why I had trouble sensing her before, she's just fading away."

While Darien was talking, Mercury was only half listening. Combining Darien's analysis with the information she had just gained from her visor, she understood what was happening. In a voice slightly chocked by tears, Amy explained. "Serena is trapped in the vortex. The energy from the crystal is causing it to collapse in on itself. But the vortex is almost like a pocket dimension, sort of like where we store our transformation items. As it collapses, the dimension is shrinking. If we don't get Sailor Moon out, she'll be crushed."

"But why doesn't she just come out? If she's still alive, why doesn't she just leave?" Mars demanded.

"Because she's too weak," Darien said in strained tones. "I can feel how weak she is. She's barely hanging on."

Mercury nodded in agreement. "Either from using the crystal, or from the vortex absorbing large quantities of her energy, or both, Serena is probably barely alive. If she's going to live, we have to get her out, and I'm afraid that's impossible."

"WHAT!?! Why?"

"Even though the vortex is shrinking, it's still a pocket dimension. Anyone going inside could end up anywhere. There isn't any light, no up or down. It's like being in space, but worse. There's almost no chance of one of us finding Serena and getting her out before it completely collapses!"

"I can. I can sense where she is. If I let that guide me, I can find her no matter what."

"But how will you get out?" Mercury asked. Then waving at the ever shrinking vortex, she added, "Besides, we don't have time."

"Well I'm sure as hell not abandoning her!"

"Maybe we don't have to. I've got an idea, but we've got to work fast!" Venus said, easily taking charge of the situation. Her time as Sailor V had taught her to think on her feet. She may not have had to do so in awhile with Amy and the others around, but she could still do it. The others nodded, acknowledging that she was in charge now.

"Tuxedo Mask is right, he's the only one who can find Serena, so he goes in. We'll use my love-chain to anchor him to the outside. Once he finds Serena, we can pull him in, like reeling in a fish. Jupiter, Mars and I will secure the chain and pull you in. Mercury, your job is to keep scanning the vortex. If that thing looks like it's going to close, we pull Darien out, Serena or no."

"I WON'T leave her!"

"You don't have a choice! Raye was right, we can't lose you both. And don't even think of trying to remove my chain, because if you do, then Serena has no way out either. Got it?"

When Darien didn't object, Venus got to work. With a shout, her chain was securely fashioned around Tuxedo Mask's waist. Venus had mentally created a long chain with plenty of slack. "If you need more, I can give it to you. And don't worry, as long as I'm holding the chain, it won't disappear. When you've got Serena, give it a tug and we'll bring you out."

Darien needed no more encouragement. As far as he was concerned, they'd wasted enough time already, and he jumped head first into the vortex.

The first thing Darien felt when he entered the vortex was nauseous. It was as if the whole world had turned topsy-turvy. He couldn't tell up from down, right from left, forward from backward. One second he felt he was upside down, the next right-side up. The utter blackness of the vortex didn't help either. Darien had never been anywhere so completely and utterly devoid of light. He had hoped to at least see the crystal, but there was no sign of it, or Serena.

Finally, Darien closed his eyes. Breathing deeply, he cleared away all thoughts, all sensations but one -- Serena. All of his senses were useless here. There was no sound to hear, no light to see, nothing to touch, smell or taste. It was sensory depravation, and if he stayed here too long, it would drive him insane. But there was one sense that wasn't useless. In fact, with the loss of his other senses, this one seemed to grow stronger.

Darien began to move through the vortex as if swimming in a sea of nothingness, letting the feel of Serena's soul guide him. Then suddenly he felt it. The vortex crushed him. How nothingness could crush him he didn't understand, but he could feel the pain. And not just his pain, but hers too. The effect nearly made him blackout, but he hung on with all his will. If he lost consciousness now, he would lose her.

He could feel himself getting closer. Just a little further; just a little more, he coached himself mentally. He could feel Serena fading away, fading into the next life. But, he could also sense how near she was. When the crushing force of the vortex descended on him again, he wanted to scream, to give in to the pain, but he didn't and couldn't. Instead, he pushed past it, reaching out with all his strength. And suddenly, there was sensation, the most pleasant sensation Darien had ever experienced. He could feel her. God, how good she felt. He wanted nothing more than to hold her forever. But he couldn't, not yet. Not until she was safe.

He pulled her close, holding her as tightly as he could, then he yanked on the chain. For a few moments, he felt nothing. Panic began to set in. Not panic for himself, but for Serena. He needed the Senshi to pull them out because he didn't think he could make it on his own. Then he felt it, a slight tug on the chain. The sensation became stronger, and Tuxedo Mask felt himself being pulled along, pulled to safety.

He couldn't be sure how long he and Serena drifted through the void. Time held as much meaning here as sound or sight. But he could be sure of the pain. Every so often, without warning, the vortex would contract, nearly crushing him. He tried to protect Serena with his own body, but it was a futile attempt. The vortex closed in on them from all sides and none. The disorienting feeling of being crushed, but not being able to feel the thing that was crushing them was beginning to cause Darien's grip on his sanity to fall away. The only thing keeping him sane and focused was his desperate need not to lose Serena. Venus' chain anchored him to reality, but he anchored Serena. If he somehow lost his hold on her, she would be left behind in the void as he was pulled to safety. He refused to let that happen.

Voices. Darien could almost swear he heard voices. It was the Senshi. He could hear faint strands of their conversation. Thank God, he thought. They were almost out. But as their voices became clearer and more distinct, Darien felt his heart sink.

"I think we waited too long. The vortex is closing faster. I don't think there's room to pull them out." That sounded like Mercury, Darien thought.

"There HAS to be room. If I have to hold it open with my bare hands, we are going to get them out!" Jupiter, it had to be Jupiter.

"We're almost at the end of the chain. We should be able to see them soon!" Venus. No question.

And then it hit him -- sight, sound, touch, smell. For the first few moments, it was sensory overload and Darien lost all grasp on what was happening around him. But, the crushing force of the collapsing vortex brought him back to reality.

"Pull damn it! Pull!" Jupiter shouted through clenched teeth. But pulling wasn't helping. The vortex had closed faster than even Mercury had been able to predict, and he and Serena were stuck, half-in and half-out of the void. Darien could feel the opening collapsing. It didn't take much to figure out that if the vortex collapsed while they were stuck this way, they would probably be cut in two.

"Darien," Mars screamed. "You have to help us! We can't get you out. There's no way to stop it from shrinking."

He didn't need to stop it. He just needed to get Serena out. Yanking the chain loose from his body, Darien began to sink back into the vortex, which was exactly what he wanted. The move was such a surprise, Mars, Jupiter and Venus went tumbling to the ground amid anguished cries and screams of protest.

"What in the hell does he think he's doing!?!" Mars cursed. But Darien knew exactly what he was doing. The opening might not be big enough for two, but one just might make it. Serena was smaller and slimmer than he was. She could slip past easily, where he couldn't. And, Darien reminded himself, she was the one that had to be saved.

As he fell back into the blackness, he pushed Serena forward, back to reality, back to life. He watched with relief as her lithe body slid through the narrow opening and smiled when he heard what he thought was Jupiter shout, "Got her!"

Only now that Serena was safe did Darien begin to worry about his own safety. He was prepared to give his life for her, but he wasn't ready to leave her yet if he could help it. Grasping the edge of the opening, he hauled himself over and out of the vortex. He felt the edges of the vortex as it scraped against his costume, tearing it in places. He felt something tear at the now bare flesh underneath what had been his pants as he gave one last heave, barely making it out in time.

He fell to the ground, disoriented. For a few moments, he just lay there, gasping for breath and trying to bring his spinning head under control. As his senses returned, he became aware of someone next to him, asking how he was.

"I'm okay, I think. Just give me a minute," his ragged voice croaked out. After a few more breaths, Darien began staggering to his feet, only to feel strong arms supporting him. He turned to see Raye giving him a concerned look.

"Serena? Is she . . .?"

Mars quietly shook her head. "We don't know yet. Amy is checking on her now." Even as she said this, she slowly helped Tuxedo Mask to where Sailor Moon lay. As they approached her form, Darien gently pushed Mars away and walked the last few steps to Serena's side. Gently, dropping to his knees, he cradled her body in his arms. He lovingly brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face. She was alive. Her chest was rising and falling steadily with each breath, though her face was a bit pale and her skin cold. But, would she be alright? Then he turned questioning eyes to Mercury. "Is she?"

Mercury finished her scans and turned a smiling face to Darien. "She's okay. She's exhausted from using the crystal. She has some nasty bruises and she'll probably be sore for some time, probably from the force of the collapsing vortex, but she should be fine as long as she gets plenty of rest."

Just then, Serena moaned. Quickly, Darien turned his attention to the girl he held in his arms, forgetting that anyone else was there. "Serena? Serena, wake up, please." Darien was rewarded as her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a weak smile. "Don't ever do that to me again. I thought I'd lost you forever," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Serena took Darien's hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Darien winced slightly and Serena noticed the burns on his hand. "What happened?" she asked worriedly, her voice chocked and weak. When Darien didn't answer, she looked at the others. It was then that she noticed the various injuries her friends had. Concern written all over her face, she asked again, "What happened?" Darien turned away, too ashamed to look her in the face. Serena turned to her friends, but Mina, Lita and Amy nervously avoided her gaze. When it was Raye's turn, she simply and silently glanced at Darien. "What happened?" Serena asked a third time, her face filled with fear and confusion.

When Darien still didn't answer, it was Mina's voice that filled the uncomfortable silence. "Darien went into that thing to save you Serena. He got hurt trying to get you out."

Serena's eyes turned to Darien, complete love and gratitude radiating from them. For a few moments she was lost in her own little world, with only Darien beside her, but then something occurred to her. "But how did you get hurt?" Serena asked in a whisper, turning to the Senshi.

Darien could hear the raw pain in her question. He knew what she was thinking. She was afraid that somehow it was her fault that they were hurt. She would blame herself, as she always did, for not being able to protect her friends. As terrified as he was of telling her the truth, it would be even worse if he let her blame herself for something he had done. Gathering his resolve, he confessed, "Serena, I'm sorry. It was . . . It was my fault. I didn't know what I was doing."

Serena turned to her love, pain and denial written all over her face. "What do you mean? I don't understand."

"I attacked them. I did this." It was said so quietly, Darien barely heard himself say it. But, for Serena it was the loudest thing she ever heard.

"Darien, how could you?" she asked accusingly. Her voice carrying more strength than Darien would have thought possible given her weakened state.

"I never meant . . . I just couldn't live without you. I didn't want to go on, but I never meant to hurt them," Darien whispered, shame lacing every word. "Serena, please forgive me. I couldn't go on if I thought you hated me."

She could hear the pain in his voice, see the sorrow in his eyes, and Serena could do nothing but forgive him. She understood how he had felt. She had felt the same way when Beryl had taken him from her. And yet, she couldn't let this go entirely. He had to understand this was wrong. She had to make sure he would never do this again. "What you did was wrong Darien. Promise me that no matter what happens to me, you won't ever hurt them again. Please, promise me."

"I know I was wrong," he whispered as the tears he didn't realize he was shedding splashed lightly on Serena's face. "Raye and the girls made me see that. And I promise you, it won't ever happen again. So, do you forgive me Serena? Do you still love me?"

"Of course I love you, and I could forgive you anything. But, I'm not the one you need to ask for forgiveness," she answered weakly, her previous strength fading with her anger. Darien nodded, looking at each of the Senshi in turn. Amy gave him a faint smile. Lita shrugged, indicating it was forgotten. Mina gave him her famous victory sign. Raye gave him a sad look, it wasn't quite forgiveness, but there were no accusations either.

"Thank you," he said solemnly. "And I'm sorry."

"And thank you Raye," Serena's voice echoed, so quietly Raye almost didn't hear. "Thank you for keeping your promise." And with those words Serena was overtaken by a deep, healing sleep.

  
  


The End


End file.
